School Finances Hold Steady as Board Considers New Business Manager

At the Jan. 28 regular school board meeting, Business Manager Ben Thomas reported that the Orcas Island School District continues to have a healthy fund reserve. The year-to-date fund balance is about $285,000; last year at this time the amount was $203,474.

Much of the district’s financial health is due to increased enrollment. The Kindergarten -12^th grade current monthly enrollment averages 582 students, 70 more than what is projected for next year’s budgeting purposes.

The K-12 Alternative Learning Education (ALE) Program has shown over 100 percent growth from last year’s projections (43 students), with over 100 students now enrolled in the program. Elementary Principal Kyle Freeman commented,”All we’ve seen so far is growth; but we need to talk about how far we’ll go and ‘temperature check’ families to find out where people are standing for next year.”

Staffing has been arranged for the additional students, and a training program for the staff has been created as the year goes forward, Freeman said. OISD Board Member Keith Whitaker said, “If we can use a conservative number [for enrollment] that covers all staff, that means we have a year without RIFs [reductions in force, or teacher staff reductions.]”

With the last bond’s debt all paid off, there remains $50, 574, available, dedicated only to capital projects, and professional consultations (i.e. architects) by board approval. In addition, OISD Board Member Janet Brownell pointed out that the Orcas Island Education Foundation funds of about $40,000 were not included in the fund balance.

The only sour note, Thomas said, is an indication that local tax collections “are not going as well as they should … [figures] are probably 15 to 20 thousand lower than they should be….it’s a bit of a worry.”

The new budget cycle for the 2010-2011 school year begins on Feb. 4.

OISD Board President Scott Lancaster said that the board would decide at their February meeting if the 512 enrollment number proposed by Thomas would be the 2010-2011 budget foundation number.

The board also considered hiring a .6 annual FTE (slightly more than half-time) business manager, and discussed adding transportation and special education duties to make the position full-time (1. FTE). Currently, Ben Thomas is employed by OISD from the Education Services District office, serving four regional counties. He estimates his one and a half days per week for the OISD costs $120,000 per year.

It was emphasized that, if the proposed school bond is passed, the Bond project manager for that undertaking would be separate from the business manager.

The board reviewed the job description that Superintendent Barbara Kline and the Budget Advisory Committee (BAC) have developed. The BAC recommends that Thomas stay on about one day a month to oversee a new Business Manager as that person transitions into the job.

Kline said, that even in just the last 10 years, “The amount of state and federal reporting has so increased that we have to have people to account for that funding; there  is so much hunting  and accounting for money.”

Lancaster suggested that the OISD approach sharing a fulltime person with the San Juan Island Schoold District.  “The idea is to have more face time in the district, and to cultivate someone.”

Thomas’ contract is scheduled to be renewed the end of February, and the school board needs to decide upon a plan for his substitute, including salary. “We need to have some plan in motion,” said Lancaster.

The motion before the board to approve hiring a business manager was tabled until Lancaster speaks to the San Juan School District.

The board also discussed ground and building maintenance staffing, and decided to open the position for a part-time Facilities Manager to plan the overall school properties’ maintenance schedule “so that tasks and funding are on a regular schedule. “ A fulltime Grounds and Maintenance Technician will be hired following the hiring of the new Facilities Manager.

Janet Brownell will serve as the OISD board’s liaison to the new Orcas Park and Recreation District, as discussions start about maintaining Buck Park.

Joyce Nigretto announced that the Cemetery District Commissioners are planning to replace the fence on the boundary line of Mt. Baker Cemetery with a “living fence.”